The concept of toy dolls with sound generating capabilities is well-known. Dolls frequently have been designed to simulate the sounds of a baby. Previously, mechanical mechanisms located within the body of a doll were utilized to simulate the sounds. Mechanical mechanisms were used for several reasons. First, since dolls were usually somewhat large in size, their size allowed for large and bulky mechanical mechanisms to be inserted without difficulty into the interior of the doll. Second, mechanical mechanisms were usually inexpensive to manufacture and insert into a doll. Third, mechanical mechanisms were durable, and because of their durability were well suited for children's toys. However, the fact that mechanical mechanisms were large and bulky prevented them from being used with smaller toys.
Other technologies, have also proved to be ill-suited for use with smaller toys. For example, U.S. Pat. No, 3,949,488 is for an educational associativity rag doll in which a tape playback means, such as a cassette recorder is secured within the interior of the doll. The cassette recording is played back upon activating various button activating means located on the body of the doll. The doll is capable of playing back a plurality of recorded messages. However, the suggested size of the doll is approximately 34" high which enables it to receive the still relatively bulky electronics package. Such a means of generating a plurality of different sounds would not be suitable for use with smaller toys.
Recently, many toys, including dolls, have been designed to use electronics technology in order to simulate various sounds. The use of electronics in toys though, has not always been ideal. Electronics are expensive and, combining the expense of electronics with the increased manufacturing costs incurred when using electronics, serves to increase the cost of the final product. Because toys are usually purchased for children by their parents, it is desirable to keep the cost of toys down. Parents realize that children are fickle and become bored easily, and thus, do not want to spend an exorbitant amount of money on toys. Also, electronics usually have not been designed to withstand physical rigors. If electronics are to be used successfully in toys used by small children, the electronics of a toy have to be protected from the physical abuse small children can inflict on toys. Generally speaking, it may be more difficult to protect such components in smaller toys because of the lack of room in such toys for supportive and protective structure or padding.
Frequently, dolls are not used alone but in conjunction with other toys. Since a doll essentially is a toy used by children to simulate the activities of a baby, toys which assist in the simulation of baby's activities are usually used along with a doll. For example, during play children will dress and undress a doll or will attempt to simulate the feeding of a baby with a toy bottle. A toy baby bottle that is able to produce human-like sounds which is used along with a doll would greatly assist in furthering the simulation in children's minds that they are feeding a baby.
In the past, various types of mechanical and electronic devices have been used to simulate different sounds in toys. The problems previously indicated have been inherent in these toys. U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,859 is for a baby bottle which simulates a gurgling sound. Contained within the housing of the bottle is a mechanical mechanism which includes a hammer assembly mounted on a cylindrical shaft. The gurgling sound is produced when the hammer assembly vibrates as it traverses the shaft. The device is capable of only generating one sound, that of a baby's gurgling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,911 is directed to a toy figure such as a doll that responds to the selection of one of a plurality of switches on the housing of the doll by mechanically playing back various vocal messages. Circuitry in the doll stores and controls operating instructions which also include a problem solution mode of operation wherein a selected one of the messages is played announcing a problem and a corresponding one of the switches is exclusively selected to affect the corresponding proper solution upon activation by the user. Although electronics is used to control the operations of the doll, the actual playback device, preferably is a record player, which is also located within the interior of the doll.
Mechanical mechanisms used to simulate multiple sounds in a doll, like the record player of U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,911, are, generally speaking, too large to use in smaller toys such as baby bottles. Furthermore, the problems inherent in the use of electronics are applicable to a toy baby bottle. Parents may not be willing to spend substantial sums of money on toys for small children. Because a toy baby bottle is relatively small, it may be difficult to protect electronics contained within it from the stresses placed on the toy baby bottle by small children.
It would be desirable then to have a toy baby bottle or other drinking implement which can be used alone or in con]unction with a doll to further assist in the simulation of a baby's activities. Such a toy baby bottle is particularly desirable if it is durable and can simulate several different typical baby activities, thus increasing the play span of a doll by using the toy baby bottle or other drinking implement.